MOScout Daily Update: Hartzler Gets MOCorn - Grier Backs Brunner - Carter's Internal Senate 10 Poll - New Jeff City Coworking Space and more...
Exclusive: Hartzler Gets MOCorn Nod
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler today will announce she’s landed the endorsement of the Missouri Corn Growers Association for her US Senate bid.
"The Missouri Corn Growers Association is pleased to lend our support to Vicky Hartzler in her race for the U.S. Senate," noted MCGA President Jay Schutte of Benton City. "A longtime supporter of corn growers and farmer herself, Vicky and her family understand the struggles government regulations can impose on agriculture. She listens to our questions and concerns and is committed to working alongside us as a supporter of the Next Generation Fuels Act to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We extend our thanks to Congresswoman Hartzler for her dedication to corn growers on the many different issues
we face.”
This is the second major Ag endorsement for Hartzler, following MO Cattlemen's endorsement a few weeks ago.
What It Means
It helps establish her as the rural candidate against her two St. Louis rivals: Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt.
Scooplette: Grier Backs Brunner
In paperwork filed yesterday with the Missouri Ethics Commission, John Brunner III (running in House 101) formed his campaign committee. His treasurer is Derek Grier, the current incumbent who decided not to run again. See the filing here.
Only in MOScout: Team Carter’s Poll
In Senate 10, Judge Mike Carter has been polling the race. Here’s what his internal polling looks like (Conducted 4/23/22, MoE +/- 6.9%)…
Bryan Spencer: 5%
Jeff Porter: 7%
Josh Price: 3%
Mike Carter: 16%
Randy Pietzman: 15%
Travis Fitzwater: 11%
Undecided: 43%
And
Remember, Carter wrote a check for $500,000 to his campaign…
Senate 22: Shaul Touts Momentum
In an email blast, Rep. Dan Shaul’s campaign for Senate 22 touts “the momentum swinging in his favor… In the first quarter of 2022, Dan’s sizeable grew the warchests of his campaign and PAC by five figures, and now sits comfortably with the second most cash-on-hand in the race.”
What I found most interesting though was the messaging: “Record Over Rhetoric.”
During his time in the Missouri House, Dan has proven himself with a common sense, conservative record. Voters know Dan is a man of his word who will go to Jefferson City and vote the way he promised. That’s why he has a 100% pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment and pro-police voting record.
Page Gets STL Labor Council
Labor Tribune reports that St. Louis Count Executive Sam Page “has won unanimous endorsement for re-election to a new four-year term from the St. Louis Labor Council.”
Behind the endorsement…
· Enacted a $15 minimum wage for county workers.
· Signed a prevailing wage ordinance requiring all projects using county tax incentives to pay prevailing wages, ensuring jobs for construction workers and quality work on projects built to last and serve everyone.
· Appointed union members and Labor leaders to county commissions and boards so the voices of workers are heard on critical issues.
Jones Launches Jeff City Coworking Space
News Tribune reports that lobbyist Sharon Geuea Jones is set to open a coworking space across from the capitol.
"Office space in Jefferson City is really expensive if you're only one person. I just need a place where I can have a desk and that really didn't exist or if it did, it was so far away from the Capitol as to make it not really practical for my use. I thought, if I'm in this position, there are probably other people who are, and we've always kind of joked that lobbyists don't really have a home in the Capitol," she said. "So I started looking around, found a space that was available and in the middle of being remodeled, and got a couple of folks to go in with me and make it work."
See the website for Jefferson and High here.
Trans Athletes as Wedge Issue
AP reports that “Missouri’s GOP-led House on Monday voted to limit which sports teams transgender athletes can compete on at public high schools. House members on Monday voted 93-41 to require transgender students to compete on teams that match the ‘biological sex’ listed on their birth certificates. The provision was added to Republican Rep. Kurtis Gregory’s bill on public school busing… The role of transgender athletes in sports is gaining traction as a GOP talking point across the country this election year. Political observers say it’s a classic strategy of finding a ‘wedge issue’ that motivates a political base.”
Meanwhile
KCStar Editorial board takes issue with Rep. Chuck Basye’s interaction with a citizen disagreeing with stance on transgender athletes.
“Nedra, Do your own research. I don’t care about your feelings nor do I care about your resume. “Bottom line, my intent is to keep women’s/girl’s sports for the female gender. If a person was born with a penis, that individual doesn’t belong in sports designed solely for females. Now go ahead and have your meltdown and/or temper tantrum. Remember, Let’s Go Brandon!!”
· If you think Basye sounds like someone who’s term-limited, you’d be right. But I think maybe he was always this way…
Candidate Withdrawals
· Marilyn Goode-Williams withdrew from running for Senate 14 as a Republican. This means that Sen. Brian Williams is now unopposed in both his primary and general election.
· Darren Ross withdrew from running for House 75 as a Democrat. The race is now a two-way primary between Rep. Alan Gray and form Rep. Sylvester Taylor.
Lobbyists Registrations
Gamble and Schlemeier added Capitol Bridge, LLC.
Tracy King, Brittany Hyatt Robbins, Thomas Robbins, and Garrett Webb deleted Apple Investment Group.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Caleb Arthur.